No doubt you all wonder what object this is,
With visage so pale and so wan,But in spite of my appearance, or woe begone fiz,
I was once a respectable man ;When fortune did smile I, as gay as a lark,
Could trip it from night until morn,But now I dar'nt turn out, 'till after it's dark,
My clothes are so seedy and torn.

In days of prosperity I had every one's praise,But now I'm a man that has seen better days.

Hot dinners and suppers I used for to give,
I had a host too of friends, I was told,But now they have left me alone for to grieve,
My friends, like my suppers, are cold ;I used for to drive them all out in my cab,
To the race-course, the hunt, or review,But now out of kindness, you need'nt to doubt,
My friends they all drive me out now.In days of prosperity, &c.

If a former acquaintance I happen to meet,
Conversation with me seems to shun,He bolts me and cuts straightway over the street,
And I've nothing to cut in return.Without a crown in my pocket, or one in my hat,
The rain on my own crown pelts,My shoes too, oh dear ! don't know what to be at,
For my toes will come out at the whelts.In days of prosperity, &c.

My coat too is seedy and minus a lap,
I am jeered by each ignorant loot,They say that 'tis sleepy and wanteth a nap--
Out at elbows it is without doubt ;My landlady too duns me hard for her rent,
In language my very heart loathes—(To my poor feelings I dare not give vent,)
I've no rent but the rents of my clothes.

WALKER, PRINTER, DURHAM.

When sailing on

DE OHIO.

A summer day, it feels so gay,
An' makes de nigger work cheerily ;But winter chill, it make him still ;
Him can't help feeling wearily.But when him on de ribber side,Him like to see de flowing tide,
And hear de rushing as it blow, ob de Ohio.

De pine log raft, wid de crew all abaft.Pursuing der course so drearily ;Dey pass de time gay by singing awayO'er de bright blazing fire so merrily.Der way is long, but still de song,
It passes de time right cheerily,An' still on der way, for many a day,
Dey keep it up right merrily ;An' singing as dey sail along,Dis der own right merry song,Singing as dey sail along, dis der merry song,
When sailing on de Ohio, Ohio,—When sailing, &c.

How pleasant to see de stream flow free,When at work in de cotton fields early ;
An' feel de fresh breeze,
Among de high trees,—We niggers enjoy it dearly ;
But when him on de ribber side,
Him like to see de flowing tide,
An' hear de rushing as it blow, ob de Ohio.

Den ebery time dat we hear de chime,
Ob de rafter so pleasant and gaily,It gladdens our heart for to see dem so smart,
Passing by on de ribber, each, daily ;Der way is long, but still de songIt passes de time right cheerily,An' still on der way, for many a day,They keep it up right merrily.
An' singing as dey sail along, &c.

Three ballads. The man that has seen better days - first line reads: No doubt you all wonder what object this is. When sailing on de Ohio - first line reads: A summer day, it feels so gay. Oh: Sambo White, in lub I'm quite - first line reads: Oh! Sambo White, pray come dis night.

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'Foreigners'

English ballads

Description

Collection of 2,300 broadside ballads, mostly printed in England in the 19th century. Topics range from courtship, crime, disasters and emigration to fashion, theatre, politics, laments sports and old age. Includes ballads on Scotland and Ireland. Part of the Crawford Collections on deposit from the Balcarres Heritage Trust.

Attribution and copyright:

Reproduced with permission from materials on loan to the National Library of Scotland from the Balcarres Heritage Trust.

More information

Form / genre:

Miscellaneous > Ephemera > Broadsides

Dates / events:

1800-1900 [Date printed]

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